With all the cat discussion it's got me thinking about one of our cats.

Our cat Hamish, he's about 3 years old and a lump. When he was about 8 months old he decided that he liked the kitchen and it became to the point where he very rarely ventures out of it. He sleeps in the garden window or he sleeps behind the TV in there. Come around 12 am he'll start wandering in the hallway and bathroom but that stops around 7am (he is completely nocturnal).

Because of this it's pretty much like not having a cat. I don't really know what to do about it or if I just let him be. But I can't imagine he's too happy, I'd be pretty bored. My current train of thought was to start feeding him in the livingroom rather than the kitchen. Make it so other places have good things. But he was practically raised in the livingroom when he was a kitten and still came out acting like he's locked in the kitchen.

The cat Inky back in PA started living in the back of the house after we brought puppies into the house. Even though the puppies didn't really bother him I think they were just too loud and active for Inky. Attempts to bring him into the front of the house just made him sad. Now that it is just him and Mollie (who is old as the hills) he comes into the front of the house again.

Obviously I'm not a cat expert but is there anything he's drawn to their? Something to lay on with a certain texture or a different temperature?

The thing is we have the same window kind of window in the livingroom so I don't think so.

Quote:

Originally Posted by PWCorgi

Is it possible he's trying to stay away from the dogs at all?

The cat Inky back in PA started living in the back of the house after we brought puppies into the house. Even though the puppies didn't really bother him I think they were just too loud and active for Inky. Attempts to bring him into the front of the house just made him sad. Now that it is just him and Mollie (who is old as the hills) he comes into the front of the house again.

I've thought of that and it could be a part of it. But the dogs are in the kitchen too. And even if it IS the dogs I still would like to fix because I miss having a cat.

We had the one in a million cat who died this summer. He was just always there, so much personality, so completely comfortable with himself and afraid of nothing. Now that he's gone I'm figuring out how much I miss having a cat just always there.

I think it will be pretty hard to stop since it doesn't seem like there is something he is necessarily scared of outside of the kitchen since he will roam in the middle of the night.

Are the dogs locked up at night? Or do they have access to the rest of the house?

One has access to the house, the other three are with me. But his nocturnal habits start whether or not they are away. He starts perking up around 9 and going to greet people and then starts roaming later.

I think it will be hard to stop too, that's why I haven't tried yet. Kinda at a loss at what to do. That's why I'm hoping maybe food would be an incentive for him

Is there any elevated place he can hang out in the living room? A cat tree would be ideal but just a shelf or area on the entertainment center that has a towel or cat bed on it would probably work. He may feel more comfortable up high, especially if the dogs are making him nervous at all.

Feeding and playing in there might help too. If he's nervous at all playing in there might boost his confidence, my timid cat always seems much more spunky and confident after play time.